Three Syllable Names for Boys

The first name of the influential pre-Renaissance Sienese painter (pronounced DOO-chee-o) is a simple but lively modern possibility.

Sometimes heard as a first name in Scotland, particularly among the Campbell clan.

Russian diminutive from Pyotr (Peter), a very familiar form generally used only for small children, pets or close family members. It's also the Russian word for the herb parsley.

Kyriakos was derived from the Greek word kyrios, meaning "lord."

We've seen babies with Texas city names like Austin, Houston and Dallas--, why not the unexplored Laredo, which has a lot of cowboy charisma? Laredo might make for a more modern and creative namesake for an Uncle Lawrence/Larry--as could the related Laramie.

If you find the surname Rensselaer in your family tree, that indicates your ancestors were from the town of Rensselaer, Gelderland, Netherlands. Rensselaer is the name of a city and country in New York, named after Kiliaen van Rensselaer, a merchant from Amsterdam who helped found the Dutch West India Company and New Netherland colony of the US.

Leonida is the modern Italian form of the name of the ancient Spartan king. Though names that end in a or the a sound are usually feminine, there are several examples popular in recent years -- Luca, Joshua, Noah -- that make this more plausible for a boy.

This unusual surname name has been made famous by Pretty Little Liars actress Troian Bellisario, and probably derives from a Slavic name meaning "triad; trinity". A notable male bearer is American visual artist Vasile Troian.

Abijah is a truly unusual, truly unisex, truly appealing biblical name. There were several male Abijahs in the Bible, one of them, known as Abijah of Judah, was the fourth king of the House of David, and also a couple of females.

Used to honor Jomo Kenyatta, the first president of the independent Kenyan republic. The problem: with the name Kenya now used largely for girls, along with the vowel ending, Kenyatta sounds fairly feminine.

Orson is being rediscovered and Orsino is every bit as attractive.

Common Japanese name from the '60s-'80s. In Japan it's now associated with the Manga series Kenichi: the Mightiest Disciple.

The Russian form of the medieval name Cyprian lends itself to the nickname Kip.

Nice Scottish sound, but too tied to sweaters and socks.

Energetic Russian and Romanian form of Elisha.

This is a big name, both in heritage and sound. On the right child, this could be inspired, but others may shrink from all the connotations. While your preferred nickname for this option might be Col (or Kit if you're connecting it to Christopher Columbus), you may end up with the slightly more cumbersome "Bus" as the short-form.